New King of the Grand Seas
by Kari Ezumi
Summary: It's been over a seven decades since the First Great Pirate King took control of the seas; a little over a century, it was the Second Pirate King's turn. Now, time for the fourth king—or should I say Queen—to take the "throne". OCs accepted. More inside.
1. Prologue1: Ripples

_**UPDATE 12/16/11: A few more roles were taken, so I'd check if I were you (y 'know, if you wanted to submit a character :/).**_

**Title**: Prologue: Ripples 1

**Word Count: **585

***Summary**: It's been several decades since the First Great Pirate King took control of the seas; a little over a century, it was the Second Pirate King's turn. Now, people are used to this switch in the power of the seas, and now it time for the fourth king—or should I say Queen—to take the "throne". Now, it's Cantarella D. Aislynn's turn to take charge and continue the legacy of the Great Pirate Kings before and bring about change to the world like never before.

**Rating**: T

**Genre**: Action, Adventure & Humor

**Warnings**: (Especially the first two) Language, mild violence, and PERHAPS some spoilers IF you aren't updated with the manga. Perhaps.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own One Piece EIICHIRO ODA OWNS ONE PIECE. Why would I own it? I can't even if I wanted to because I wouldn't be able to come up with it.

**OC Note**: The character profile and roles are at the bottom.

**A/N**: Haha, well, this is my remake of the previous fanfiction, _To be the Pirate Queen_. I will try, but I will _not_ promise any scheduled updates due to my workload and the upcoming track season. However, I feel I should at least attempt to finish what I started. In the meanwhile, I should improve the original story. I'm sorry to those who have read my previous fanficiton and wondered, "Where the hell is this chick?" I truly apologize from the bottom of my heart, but things weren't as I planned. Let's see if this will be finished, but don't get your hopes up—or should I say, _I_ shouldn't get my hopes up. Anyways, a few of the chapters from _To be the Pirate Queen _are going to stay the same. Other than that, the rest will be tweaked and/changed completely. I don't know. It all depends on the chapters that are good.

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><p>There's a theory that states that if you drop a pebble into still water without boundaries, the ripples would never cease. Eventually, those ripples would gain momentum and become larger and larger until it grows in waves. (1)<p>

~X~

Everywhere, around the world, televisions and radios were on. Reporters, from all corners of the world, gathered at a certain spot; den den mushis on and at standby. They waited; the whole world waited, the suspense growing in the atmosphere at each moment passes. Finally, the actors arrived on the grand stage, and now the world intently watched; some grinned while others cried.

Three men were walking up the stairs, gradually rising to the top. Two large, bulky men walked tall with large blades at their side; in the middle was a small, skinnier man with ruffle, black hair, a large coat that covered his body, and worn-out sandals.

Once they reach the top, the man in the middle fell to his knees and kept staring at the ground. The two marines turned to the man and held their weapons at his throat. Then, another man that stood on the platform earlier announced the kneeling man's crimes.

After the marine announced the crimes, the crowd yelled furiously at kneeling man. "Where is it?" they all shouted. "Where is One Piece!"

The kneeling man chuckled and grinned widely. He looked up into the crowd and announced, "If you want my treasure, go look for it! Go search the world for One Piece!" Immediately, the two marines executed him. The Second Pirate King died, and that was the end of the "Old Age", and the beginning of a "New Age".

Pirates and many others cheered and began packing up to go on adventures, just like earlier pirates. History liked to repeat itself, time and time again.

~X~

In a tiny room, there are old newspaper clippings and pictures the on wall, books worn with age on dusty shelves, and various papers scattered about the room.

_Click! Creeeeek…_

The door slowly opened, gushing golden light into the room and revealing a shadow on the floor. Soon, that shadow faded as the door closed behind the figure as it headed to the desk across the room. It maneuvered through the scattered papers—and if one looked closely at it, the newspapers showed pictures of pirates running or fighting, some pictures of a great battle long ago in the raging seas, some pictures were of the death of great men despised and respected by many, while others were of various major events. (2)

The figure carefully organized the desk, setting related items in stacks at the edge to make space in the middle. Then, it sat down and down and produced a weathered journal from its bag, opening it to a new page. A hand reached out for a pen from the cylindrical container and then began writing. It began,

_A New Generation has been planted into the ground again, the seeds born from the Third Reign of a Great Man. The seeds will be growing again, wanting to reach the sun with eager, young leaves. What will these seeds be? What will they bring into this world, whose waves have changed courses once again?_

After some time, the figure finished and replaced the pen back into the container and closed the book. A hand grazed over the engraved words: _The Tales of D._ Then, it dropped to the figures side and it left the room, closing the door of the little room again.

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><p>AN: Confused huh? Well, all will be explained (not really) in the next one. So, think of this as the Part 1 of 2 for the Prologue. Now, why would there be such a thing? Well, we need to dive in a little more before we can truly begin our little adventure on the high seas!

As always, reviews are wonderful things that make me smile as I gaze upon them. They are great motivators and help me figure out what I did right or wrong.

Thank you for reading and hopefully I get to the next part! :D

**Crew:**

**First mate: **TAKEN

**Navigator:** TAKEN

**Shipwright/Carpenter: **TAKEN

**Cook: **1 open

**Doctor: **TAKEN

**Scholar: **1 open (might be taken, depending on where the story goes)

**Chronicler: **1 open

**Gunner: **1 open

**Blacksmith: **TAKEN

**Musician: **TAKEN

**Infantry: ** _Not sure how many it'll be._ Two spots are taken however.

**Pet:** 1 open

**Lookout: **1 open

**Other:**_ Just tell me, and I might add it. _Tailor is taken along with helmsman.

~X~

**Shichibukai:** 5 open

**Yonkou:** 3 open

**Rivals: **Unlimited, unless told otherwise

**Marines: **unlimited, unless told otherwise (of course certain positions are limited)

**Other:** _Just tell me, and I might add it._

**Megumi's crew:** _Other submitted character may fall here_

_~X~_

**Profile:**

**Name: **_Include nicknames if any (also, if there is a bounty name, I would like the bounty stated)_

**Age:**

**Gender:**

**Birthday:**

**Personality:**

**Appearance: **_Include physical appearance, clothing, other things related to it, etc._

**Likes: **_i.e. food, season, people (i.e. types of people and who they are 'in love with"), etc._

**Dislikes: **_Just like above, but includes fears_

**Strengths:**

**Weaknesses:**

**History:**

**Affliation(s) and Position: **_Pirate? Navigator? Marine? Admiral? Something else?_

**Idol(s):**

**Dream:**

**Fighting Style: **_Weapons, devil fruits, way they fight…_

**-Weapons:**

**-Devil Fruit: **_(delete if none) Include name (if Japanese, meaning also), ability, type_

**-How: **_Explain the way they fight_

**Other: **_Hobbies, habits, etc._


	2. Prologue2: Ripples

**Title**: Prologue: Ripples 2

**Word Count**: 397

***Summary**: It's been several decades since the First Great Pirate King took control of the seas; a little over a century, it was the Second Pirate King's turn. Now, people are used to this switch in the power of the seas, and now it time for the fourth king—or should I say Queen—to take the "throne". Now, it's Cantarella D. Aislynn's turn to take charge and continue the legacy of the Great Pirate Kings before and bring about change to the world like never before.

**The Second Pirate King dies just like the First Pirate King. The Third Pirate King leaves the world to enter the fourth cycle, all the while a person records these Great Kings of the Grand Seas.

**Rating**: T

**Genre**: Action, Adventure & Humor

**Warnings**: (Especially the first two) Language, mild violence, and PERHAPS some spoilers IF you aren't updated with the manga. Perhaps.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own One Piece EIICHIRO ODA OWNS ONE PIECE. Never did and never will.

Excerpt 1:

_It's been several decades since the First Pirate King took his throne—a throne set on top of the Grand Seas—and died from the platform overlooking the world (1). A few decades later, a new King rises and dies on that very platform; another few decades there came another King—the _Third_ King—who carried on the tradition_. _By now, the world adjusted itself to this tradition, with the citizens of the world becoming more accustomed and waiting for the next king, while the Navy changed its system to better combat pirates and any other unlawful things of the seas. Most of all, pirates continued to increase in numbers as adventure, power, and the hope to strike it rich patiently waited for them to snatch them up all in One Piece._

_Along with these are the Revolutionaries: shadowy beings that patiently wait for the right time to strike. The notorious Monkey D. Dragon established this mysterious group, slowly amounting forces to fight against the World (2). Soon, however, they will reveal themselves completely, and there will be change covered in enough blood to forever stain every ocean in the world. _

Excerpt 2:

_The world watched for the Third Pirate King to fall from the throne upon the platform that overlooked the world. It was the third time, but it never changed the tension that hung in the air, with eyes that hardly blinked as it watched from wherever they were in the world. _

_The same pattern repeated: up to the top and wait for the announcer to finish with the long list of crimes, and then the last words from the King before he fell, the only thing most people cared about._

"_Where is it!" the masses roared as they threw anything and everything at him. "Where is One Piece!"_

_Just like the last two before him, he grinned that signature grin and looked into the crowd with daring eyes. "You know the trick! If you want my treasure, go search to the ends of the earth if you must! It's all together, all in One Piece!"_

_The government knew not to let him talk, but it was a given and no man could take away a man's voice. They could only silence him as soon as he tried to utter a syllable, but they were too slow. The damage was done once again._

**A/N:** Haha! I finished the second half! I feel so proud and accomplished! Now for how many other chapters to go…I hope I can finish it…(Let's cross our fingers!)

As always, review please! They are beautiful (they truly are, no matter what)! Thank you for reading!


	3. Ch 1: Can I get Some

**Title**: "Can I get Some..."

**Word Count**: 2023

***Summary (so far)**: The Third Pirate King sparks the latest Pirate Era. Now, it's been 28 since his execution. In the South Blue, there is one little girl that sets on becoming the next "King".

**Rating**: T

**Genre**: Action, Adventure & Humor

**Warnings (in this chapter)**: Language and violence.

**Disclaimer**: How can I own One Piece? That's an impossibility and only EIICHIRO ODA OWNS ONE PIECE. :)

**A/N**: Just to let you know, again, that there will be chapters that stayed the same from _To Be the Pirate Queen_. Why did I make a new story if I'm reusing it? Well, [1] it gives me more freedom when setting it some decades after the original One Piece plotline, [2] more organization because I actually know the setting of the story (and you know now without using context clues), and [3] I can redo some chapters without you (the reader) becoming too confused. So, you probably should delete any memory of the _To be the Pirate Queen_ from your mind, lest you want to be confused. Then again, feel free to remember it and just skip some of these chapters if you read them—as long as you remember this is set (sort of) in a different setting. BUT, I would trying reading again at the Tatsuyoshi ark, because that's where changes are going to be (so, you're probably going to skip 2-3 chapters, which isn't much XD). ONE MORE NOTE, this chapter has a few, minor changes form the previous version.

* * *

><p>Several things a person needs before entering a tavern full of drunken pirates: you need the ability to fight, you must to have some sense, and you <em>definitely<em> need to avoid attracting attention, for pretty faces and all idiots (ranging from braggarts to short-tempered fools) will not survive—if lucky, _barely_ survive. Even so, Aislynn (our heroine of the story so far) does not care about such, supposedly, trivial things.

The tavern was boisterous with pirates everywhere: at tables, at the counter, even on the floor! The malodorous odor of alcohol shrouded the room and lingered in the air outside of the tavern. Each person had a mug in their hand, if not several, and downed all the booze without puking. Some were sitting at the tables, rocking back and forth on the chair and laughing hysterically. Others sang vague melodies, for they were all off-tune and they slurred their words, while some people were clumsily moving their feet and swung their arms around; they were most likely dancing.

Aislynn entered the scene and passed through the lively crowd unnoticed; all were too drunk to care about her existence. As she walked towards the counter, she bumped into a few men and apologized quietly. However, all ignored her and went about their business.

When she arrived at the counter, only one spot was left—but it was covered with abandoned casks and a spilled mess of alcohol. She took it upon herself to clean up the mess, taking a nearby rag on a table and wiping up the spill. All the while, her free hand picked up the casks and placed them neatly on the opposite end of the counter. _Lovely,_ she thought happily to herself as she sat on the stool. Out of boredom, she kicked her feet, but made sure to not accidently hit the counter. At the corner of her eye, she glanced at the person next to her: he was a large, bulky man who could easily crush her with his bare hands. He laughed crazily; apparently he had too much rum.

Then, she spied the bartender: a stout man with white hair, that was obviously balding, and visible wrinkles that showed the exhaustion of working the tavern for many years. The man was cleaning a mug on the other end of the counter and he sighed. After he set the mug on the drying area behind him, he walked over to Aislynn. "How may I help you today?" he asked perfunctorily.

She lifted her mask a bit to reveal her lips. "I'm just trying to get some information around here; have you seen these people?" She took two wanted posters out of her satchel and slid them over to the man so he may look at it. She added, "I would also like to have some food, that's unless if you have any; I am willing to pay you any price for your service."

The bartender raised an eyebrow and gazed up at her with an odd expression. "You do realize that you're getting yourself into trouble if you want to find these two people, right?"

She grinned and answered, "I know, but I'm recruiting at the moment, and these two interest me."

_What an odd boy,_ he thought. "Boy, you obviously know information ain't cheap, hm?"

"Yes sir, so like I said, I'll pay you any price." In her head she thought, _I guess I really look like a little boy. Well, whatever._

He nodded and handed the papers back to her. "Okay, but sadly, I have no more food; these people ate it all and downed most of my beverages."

"That's fine; I'm not hungry."

Before he was about to tell her anything, a shriek sounded. Aislynn and the man jerked their heads at the source of the sound, and noticed a young woman being harassed by red-faced pirates.

"C'mere, let me show you what a real man is like." One man, who was obviously the captain, slurred. He reached for her waist, but she slapped his hands away.

She glared at him and yelled, "Don't you dare touch me with your filthy hands!" She tried to push through the men that surrounded her, but they blocked her and pushed her back.

"Lookit this feisty lil lady, acting all tough!" the man laughed as his men echoed his mirth.

The bartender shook his head and mumbled, "Lost another employee again…"

Aislynn glanced at the captain and searched through her bag. "Ahah!" she exclaimed quietly. In her hand was a wanted poster with the drunken man's face. _Let's see…he's the "Many Faces" Marcus: 17,000,000 berries. I'm sure this guy has lots of cash with him—he seems to have tricked many people._ She smirked as she thought of how much money she can take from this man. She glance at the bartender and stated, "Hold on for a few moments, while I go get your money and return your employee."

The man only stared curiously at her and watched her get up from her spot and head towards Marcus. She passed through the men, making her way to the clamor. "Oi little kid, what do you think you' re do—" one crewmember said before being straggled. More men fell, and soon she was behind two men that towered her small figure. She peeked through a small space and saw that the Marcus was up, swaying a bit, on the tables with a pistol in hand. "Let's trash this dump and teach this woman who we are!" he announced.

Much of the crew raised their weapons and drinks in the air. Before they were able to begin their path of destruction, Aislynn step forward. "Excuse me, but you guys are making too much of a mess; please step outside kindly." She demanded in a kind voice.

Marcus raised a brow at her and hopped onto the floor. "Little boy, do you know who you are talking to?"

She nodded, but he ignored it.

He turned around and faced everyone else, arms in the air and booze in hand. "I'm 'Grizzly' Bearnard! I can destroy anything in my path!"

While he wasn't looking, Aislynn sat down on a chair, tipping it back. She knocked out a few men again. "Excuse me _Bearnard-san_, like I said earlier, step outside kindly; not unless you want to end up like your men." She pointed, with her thumb, to the several men knocked on the floor.

Marcus only stared in terror at the idle bodies on the floor and looked back at her. "Little boy, what did you do to my men!" he yelled angrily, but fear shown in his eyes.

She shrugged and answered, "Nothing much, except straggle them. You know, your men aren't so tough—how about you?" A smirk shown on her face, and Marcus trembled a bit, stepping a few paces back before putting up a false act of bravery.

"Nothing can scare me!" he lied. He raised his pistol, aiming at Aislynn. It was obvious how frightened he was, to the point he could hardly fool anyone. As Aislynn was about to get up, he fired and hit her in the head. Her head exploded, blood going in every direction; there was no sign of her head though. She fell to the ground, with blood endlessly pouring out, much to Marcus's delight.

The room went silent, but became animated after a few moments. The barmaid fell to her knees in horror, whimpering with tears filling up at her eyes. Marcus laughed hysterically and announced, "Men, let's tear this place down!" His men cheered and broke a few chairs and tables, until one of them noticed the headless body stand back.

"Captain—it—that—i-it—" he stuttered as he fell back.

"Oi, speak up!" Marcus called.

"It's alive!"

He jerked his head towards Aislynn, and widened his eyes. "How…how can you survive?" he questioned confusedly.

As they all gaped and stared in horror and surprise, the once lifeless body got on its hands and stood back up; the blood that splattered everywhere converged to the point above her neck and formed her head. Of course, her mask was still on. Aislynn commented, "That wasn't very nice to shoot someone in the head. But y' know, that surprised me." She scratched the side of her head while talking.

In unison, the room exclaimed, "It surprised you; you surprised us!"

She grinned under her mask, but it looked as if she were just standing still.

Finally, Marcus gained some sort of composure and pointed at her, and stating at the same time, "She's a Devil Fruit user; kill her now!" His men shouted their battle cries and charged at her with their weapons in hand. It was quite obvious how uncoordinated they were, slashing and shooting everywhere without much thought or aim.

The first group of men that rushed at her slash their scimitars wildly, from the left, right, and then down upon her head. As they slashed wildly, she ducked and swept their feet, letting them hit the floor and was quick to take a sword so she may cut their hands before they hand time to retrieve it. Their screams were drowned in the chaos.

Guns were fired, bullets speedily flying at her, but she duck to a nearby table and flipped it so it may serve as a shield. She knew quite well the attacks will not work on her, but she was a cautious child and preferred to stay on the safe side, although she occasionally became distracted (like earlier). Then, she kicked the table, flying to the gun-wielding men, hitting them and having the fall over.

This fight continued in the same manner, unchangeable patterns boring Aislynn to the point where she decided to end it quickly. However, someone stopped her from doing so.

The muscular, bulky man (who sat by her earlier at the counter) was up and knocked much of the men down unconscious. He came upon Marcus, who looked up at the man and questioned, "What do you think you are doing? Go and get that boy!" The man did not listen and punched him into the wall, shattering it. As he did so, Aislynn looked over at the scene curiously and became entertained.

After the bar was quiet with all pirates knocked out, except for Aislynn and the large man, the man approached her and grinned. He laughed heartily, which she mistaken for hysteria. _Oh, so he wasn't drunk,_ was what she thought.

"Little boy, you are quite the entertaining child—I've never seen a person use their Devil Fruit power for such a joke!" he remarked.

_But it wasn't a joke…_ she thought, but dared not to say it aloud.

He got on his knees and picked up the lying bodies. "Well, I 'ought to get this place up—Bearnard hates having his territory messy."

At this, she plunged her hand into the satchel and shuffled through the contents until she came upon bundles of papers. She took out the stack and searched through it until she found what she was looking for: the bounty of the man that was in front of her. The bounty revealed his name as Canon-firing Wallus, a member of the Kurokuma pirates: XXX,000,000 berries, dead or alive.

Once he finished cleaning up, he went to the old man at the counter and stated, "I'm done here sir; if they give more trouble, don't hesitate to contact us Kurokuma pirates: we don't like messy territories and phonies like this one." Wallus pointed at Marcus, whose eyes were glazed over. He carried all the men on his shoulders and before leaving, he glanced back at Aislynn. "And kid, you remind me of someone. Well, good luck finding those guys."

She was shocked to know he was listening to the bartender's and her conversation. _Hm, I guess there is more to this man than I thought._ She returned to the counter and placed the pouches of berries that she took from Marcus before he was taken away. "Here sir, like I promised. Now, for that information…"

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Hopefully, I'll be up-to-date with the story from where I left off from the other one. As always, reviews are always welcomed! :)


	4. Ch 2: Smell of Blood

**Title**: Smell of Blood

**Word Count**: 1562

***Recap**: Aislynn goes into a bar to obtain some information about certain people. In the process, she ends up beating up a crew of drunken pirates, helping out the barmaid and the bartender's business—with some help of the infamous Canon-Firing Wallus. After obtaining the information, she sets off to find her crew.

**Rating**: T

**Genre**: Action, Adventure & Humor

**Warnings (in this chapter)**: Language and violence.

**Disclaimer**: How can I own One Piece? That's an impossibility and only EIICHIRO ODA OWNS ONE PIECE. :)

**A/N**: Okay, I kind of lied about skipping 2-3 chapters. I changed a bit about Aislynn. So…yeah. I'm not sure whether it's important, but I wanted to state that. :)

Anways, these chapters are going to go out (somewhat) weekly, even though I can publish it all in one day. However, I would like to expand it over a period of time so I could give myself some time to type up more chapters (especially since I have another one going for Ouran).

Without further ado, Chapter 2. (Hey, that rhymes! XD)

* * *

><p>Now, she was not a navigator, so she can't read the currents, wind, stars, weather, etc. However, she was competent enough to be able to understand some concepts of navigation: reading maps, understanding a compass, and knowing that birds always fly to an island. Then again, her sisters have forced her, against her will sometimes, to remember many things covering many subjects.<p>

Aislynn lied on the bottom of the boat and stared up at the sky. She was sleeping earlier and had woken up from a light nap; if she had fallen into a deep sleep, she might have waken to find herself in a sea monster's belly—if she wasn't digested—or never to have woken in the water.

After a few moments of contemplation, she sat upright and searched the horizon for anything out of the ordinary; no island in sight—then again, she isn't far-sighted. Then, she hovered over the deep blue ripples for any dangers. If this boat went down; she's going down with it. Fortunately, nothing seemed to be down there and she gazed up at the bright blue, cloudless, midday sky. She spied a few seagulls flying, and according to her makeshift compass (composed of a leaf, a needle, and water in a small container), they were flying east. She smirked and took up an oar. _Finally, luck is on my side! I can't believe I forgot a map! How am I going to find them now! _She began to row in the same direction of the birds.

~X~

He sat on the bench and searched the crowd. When nothing seemed unnatural or interesting, he let out a sigh. _This is certainly a boring town_, he thought with a bored expression. He suddenly got up and walked around the busy streets for some time. Then he happened to pass by an alley filled with people lurking in the shadows.

Without giving a second to let him continue further, several men jumped out at him, with swords and pistols. They cried out and rushed at him, but they were not given a chance to land a hit on him. He pulled a scythe from behind him and dashed passed them quickly, cutting them with his double-ended scythe. Of course, he never killed them yet, preferring to have his meals alive.

The attackers looked up in horror, trying to back away, but could not; he hit their vital points with that large scythe. They all tried to scream, but were silenced as soon as they opened their mouth.

When he finished, he licked the blood that dripped down from his mouth. Then, he noticed a paper in the hand of his last victim. He took it from the lifeless hand and sighed at the sight; another wanted poster of him. The picture shown his as a ruthless murderer (which for the most part is true): bright red hair that were spiked up like (somewhat) wild flames, crimson eyes that were cold despite its color, and blood-stained lips and sharp teeth; Qinn "Bloody" Redd with a bounty of 20,000,000 berries. His bounty would have been higher, if they counted all his victims (which they couldn't since it was quite difficult). _They should change that picture of me—they didn't get my good side. _he thought. Once he had his meal, he went to the nearest bar, knowing there would be drunken people that he can steal from; he needed some cash for supplies if he was going to get moving.

Once he entered the noisy bar, he walked towards the wall covered with wanted posters. He looked around the wall, looking for nothing in particular; Redd wanted some sort of cover so he can search for a drunken idiot to steal from. Once he eyed a scrawny, tall, red-faced man getting up and leaving the bar, he was about to follow him, until one entry intrigued him.

A tiny person wearing a _hannya _mask (1) entered. He wore a black, short-sleeved jacket—hood and zipper up and all—over a large, white T-shirt that looked two to three sizes to big. He had dark cargo shorts that bunched up just below the knees with a belt to hold it up, as well as dark ankle boots, that seemed to have suffered through many hardships. Around her waist was a white sash of some sorts that came together at the back, concealing two _kusarigama_ (2). Redd noticed how the weathered, light brown satchel was bulky, and wondered how that scrawny person could carry that around.

What interested Redd the most was the fact this person was hiding his face, and he wanted to know that reason. Fortunately for Redd, the stranger had walked to the poster-covered wall and began scanning it. After a few minutes of searching, he pulled out a worn journal and opened it to the middle pocket, which Redd noticed that the journal had many scribbles and loose papers. Then, the small person took a few posters and stuffed them in the pocket and replaced the book back in the bag.

It stayed quiet for some time, until the person spoke up. "I assume you had a…snack—judging by the scent of your breath." he stated.

Redd immediately lifted his hand to his mouth and breathed on it. Then, he sniffed it, checking if his breath reeked of the crimson liquid. _What the hell, it doesn't smell too much like blood; who the hell is this guy?_ Soon, he banished the whole issue from his mind. Redd replied, "Yes, I just ate—and you?"

As if on cue to answer his question, the person's stomach growled. "Obviously, I'm hungry." the person chuckled. "How about we sit down and have a small chat; I've been meaning to speak with you for a while."

Redd raised a brow, wondering why this stranger would want to talk to him, more importantly, about what.

Noticing his suspicion, the stranger stated, "Don't worry, I'm not after your head; I want to ask you something that is quite important—well, to me and possibly to you—depending on your answer." The boy began to walk out the bar, probably wanting Redd to follow.

He didn't know what to do, so Redd just shrugged and followed the person out the bar and into a small restaurant that wasn't too far from the bar. _What harm could this little guy do? _As they sat at the booth and waited for their order to be taken, Redd spoke up. "So, what do you want to ask me?"

Before the person replied, he took off the mask and pulled the hood down to reveal his face—or should I say, _she_ revealed her face.

Shock wasn't too apparent on his face; after a moment his brain registered this, he smirked. "That could explain why you hide your face. What, are you afraid someone might attack you? After all, you're a very tiny girl."

She smiled back at him and answered, "Well, I just don't like people taking me even more lightly than they already do. Also, I'm five feet—which isn't too short—and for your information, I'm still growing!"

He nodded and chuckled, holding in the urge to burst out at this joke. "Well little kid, you should go back to your home. It's impossible for you to survive out here by yourself!"

Even so, the little girl responded seriously. "Of course I can't survive out here by myself; no man—no person—can survive the vast ocean by themselves."

This seemed to settle Redd down a bit, and he regained composure. "So, would you like to answer my question now?"

"Of course, of course; I'll be direct: would you like to join my crew that I'm making at the moment?"

This surprised him quite a bit. First, this little girl is traveling the sea by herself, and now she's asking him if he wants to join her crew. She must definitely be insane.

Redd opened his mouth to answer, but then she added, "And also, I don't take 'no' for an answer."

He raised a brow and asked, "You realize who I am, and I have no problem killing you off, right?"

She smirked and said, "Of course I know who you are, and I think you would be perfect for my crew! All we have to do is fix that bloodthirsty behavior of yours, and we'll be all good!" She grinned, with her hands crossed on the table, and just sat there for some time.

"Tell me, how _will_ you fix it?"

"If you only need blood to survive, then I can provide more than enough to satisfy that hunger." She took a vial from her jacket pocket and tossed it to him, which he caught with one hand.

The clear vial held a red liquid, and out of curiosity, he unplugged it and sniffed. A smiled played on his lips as the aroma of blood danced around his nose. Then, a though occurred to him; "I'm sure you have more than this, but how did you get it."

"Easy, I'm a Devil Fruit user." She simply answered.

"And before I forget to ask, what is your name?" he inquired.

A grin grew on her face. "Cantarella D. Aislynn, future Pirate Queen."

At that time, a waitress came by their table and asked for their orders.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** As always, review please and thank you for reading! :)

(1)

(2) .org/wiki/Kusarigama


	5. Ch 3: Who Stole it!

**Title**: Who Stole It?

**Word Count**: 1212

***Recap**: Aislynn meets up with Redd in some town. They chat for a little while, and then Aislynn asks Redd to join her crew, as well as stating she will become the Pirate Queen.

**Rating**: T

**Genre**: Action, Adventure & Humor

**Warnings (in this chapter)**: Language and violence.

**Disclaimer**: How can I own One Piece? That's an impossibility and only EIICHIRO ODA OWNS ONE PIECE. :)

**A/N**: I'm horrible for not updating my other story. Anyways, I hopes everyone had some great holidays! Happy New Years everyone! :D

Also, I'm in need of some villains. Would you like to donate some? Mainly rivals. :3 (I could never villains, because I always end up liking them.) Come on, I know you want to. :)

* * *

><p>They sat in silence for a while; the only sounds that could be heard among them were Aislynn's chewing and occasional, quiet gulps. Redd on the other hand, sat patiently for her to finish; he wasn't going anywhere in particular. However, sometimes he glanced down at the vial he laid on the table. It was barely touched, and he resisted the urge to gulp it down, suspecting there might be some sort of poison in it—even though Aislynn reassured him that she didn't add anything.<p>

Redd was surprise that this tiny girl could eat more than one plate of food, not to mention more than four plates. He watched her curiously as she ate her food rather quickly and guzzled the coffee down like a drunkard downing booze. Of course, she never burned herself because she added some ice cubes from the perfunctorily-given water.

When she finished her a dozen or so plates, she moved onto her dessert that sat on the side waiting to be eaten. Before she began eating it, she drowned the ice cream in chocolate syrup and whip cream. Then, she scooped a large spoonful of it and stuffed her mouth. Redd grimaced and thought, _How could that little girl eat so much? I thought she would barely eat that first plate, but she licked it clean! And now, she's gobbling that bucket of ice cream like it'll be gone—wait, it is gone—in her stomach!_

Even though he smiled, Aislynn noticed his disgust. She swallowed the last of the ice cream and cleaned the large bowl with her tongue. Then, she took a napkin and wiped her face, grinning at him right after. "I'm sorry if that disturbed you, but I have quite the appetite."

He nodded and replied, "Obviously."

"However, most people would be disgusted to see you drink blood, correct?" she continued and watched him carefully, waiting for her victory over this little issue.

_Why you little bitch…_ Redd gritted his teeth and said in a pleasant voice, as to not give her satisfaction, "Of course, but I don't repulsively devour a bucket of ice cream and overload it with toppings."

Aislynn was composed, doing her best to not let the remark get to her. She shook her head and asked, "Now, I'm going to repeat: do you want to join my crew?"

He frowned and got up. "If you're just going to keep asking that same question, you better be going; I don't have time to deal with midgets like you." Before exiting he added, "And no wonder why you're so short, all that coffee is shrinking you." He smiled smugly, feeling triumphant.

Unfortunately, she countered. "Excuse me, but I don't believe you are going anywhere special, and I doubt you have enough money, or supplies for that matter, to leave this island. Also, who knows, you might not meet anything to eat off of while out at sea. Not to mention, I bet you had no idea where the hell you are out there." She seemed to hit the nail, for he slightly turned his head to look at her. Even so, he continued to walk off.

He had gotten some distance from the restaurant and wandered aimlessly out of the town. He thought for a while, pondering on what he should do now. He knew that Aislynn was right, and that there was a 50/50 chance of meeting something at sea. Also, the 50/50 chance—no, slim chance—of living until he got to another island.

It took a few hours for him to finish deciding, and felt he should just stick with the girl until she was useless. She obviously knew her way around, and if worse comes to worse, he'd ditch her and let her drown for all he cared. By the time he finalized his resolution, the sun was setting, and the sky turned from blue to shades of reds, oranges, and purples.

As he walked back in through a dark, suspicious alley, a familiar voice startled him. "Oi Redd, did you figure out your answer?" he jumped back a bit, and held his scythe at her throat. When he realized it was Aislynn (without a mask on), he relaxed a bit, but never put his guard down. She held her arms up, and gently pushed the bladed away. "Now, now, I didn't mean to _scare_ you. I just happened to find you here. So, how about that answer?"

Redd smirked, revealing his sharp teeth that could easily break skin, and lowered his weapon. "Sure, I'll go with you; I'll join your _crew_." he answered.

Aislynn grinned and hopped off the barrel she was sitting on, facing her back at him. "Great! I think it'll be fun with you around! You seem like a fun guy!"

He raised a brow as he replaced his weapon at his back. "Fun? You must be more insane than I thought." he chuckled.

She glanced back at him and said, "Of course, and I'm not insane, I just have a unique way of thinking."

He scoffed and remarked sarcastically, "Yeah, you're quite the 'unique' person."

"See, I knew you'd see it my way!" She put on her mask and began walking.

**~X~**

Darkness fell upon them as they walked into the dimly-lit streets. It was, for the most part, silent. Of course, you could hear men laughing in the bars, but it didn't affect the peace of night.

The two walked to the port, where Aislynn had left her tiny boat. When they arrived, she gaped, but quickly closed her mouth and frowned. "Who the fuck stole my boat?" she spat angrily. Her blood boiled as she searched frantically for the boat.

Redd widened his eyes in shock, seeing this jolly girl suddenly throw a fit. _She is definitely a little girl; she's throwing a fit. _he thought. He approached her and laid a hand on her shoulder. "It can't be that special. After all, you could just steal another boat."

She shot a glare at him and replied furiously, "Of course the boat isn't special; it's a piece of shit if you ask me, but it's enough for me to get by. However, that boat is _my boat_, and if someone dares to steal from _me_, I will pummel them into the ground. Also, I don't _steal_, I graciously _receive_ stuff from people because they are so generous, got it?"

Clearly she was furious, and that frightened him quite a bit; she didn't seem like the type to curse this much. "Graciously receive huh…" he murmured. Then he stated, "I bet the people who took your little boat probably left by now."

She snorted and replied, "Hell to them, I swear by the graves of the Pirate Kings, I will hunt the bastard down and rip them to shreds for hurting my pride!" She turned on her heel and headed back into town. Before advancing, she looked back at Redd. "Are you coming or what?"

He could tell she needed to blow off some steam, but wasn't sure whether it was a good idea to let her storm into a place. _I don't think she would be that much of an idiot and start a fight, right?_ Boy was he wrong!


	6. Ch 4: For One Measly Boat

**Title**: For One Measly Boat

**Word Count**: 1562

***Recap**: Someone stole Aislynn's boat and now she's going to cause some trouble.

**Rating**: T

**Genre**: Action, Adventure & Humor

**Warnings (in this chapter)**: Language and violence.

**Disclaimer**: Never had and never will own ONE PEIECE BY EIICHIRO ODA.

**A/N**: Okay so I admit, I have short chapters. I will state that now. Maybe I'll combine some old ones together. :)

* * *

><p>Aislynn ran around the town randomly, eventually losing Redd. Soon, she returned to the bar where the two first met at and burst through the entrance. "Oi, does anyone want to donate a boat?" she called out seriously.<p>

A moment passed before the room erupted in laughter. Many of them ridiculed and pointed at her, dismissing her as a stupid, little boy. One man threw a mug at Aislynn, liquor draping her with broken glass on the floor. The same man exclaimed, "Go back home _chibi_! The sea will eat you up!"

She glared at the crowd for a few seconds, but began to wring her hair out. As she wrung out the liquor, she scrunched her face up in disgust. _Keep laughing you buffoons, go ahead._ she thought angrily.

"Little boy, if you want a boat, I'll give you one—for a price." a voice sounded.

Her eyes searched the crowd and found an awkward man standing up with arms stretched out and several casks in each hand. Aislynn perused his features and waited for him to say more.

The man rounded the drunken men and tables to stand some feet away from Aislynn. Then, he threw the casks to the side and bowed. When he stood back up straight, he started to explain further. "All you have to do is beat me in a fight, and then you can go ahead and take my _ship_."

Aislynn eyed him suspiciously, searching his eyes for falter. "What happens if I don't win?"

"You do whatever I say; I'm always in need of young, able bodies."

Upon this statement, she scowled. Of course she knew quite well that she could easily steal any other vessel at the harbor, but her wrath made her thinking fuzzy and brought her to this point. On the other hand, leaving a tiny and very angry person with one other person on a small vessel can be very bad; someone needs to assume the role as the victims of her rage. Even so, none of the people before her seemed to see it that way, yet.

After a moment of contemplation, she shrugged and motioned the man to follow her out the bar. _If I win, I'll gladly take his ship and his money, and then sell the ship later on in the next town._ she thought as she walked outside.

The man followed and gestured the majority of the bar to follow him, his apparent subordinates.

A cool breeze caressed their faces upon entering the dim street; the only lights were the moon that hung up high in the dark sky, the lights from the bars, and the street lamps which afforded little illumination.

Many eyes watched in disbelief as the large group of men stood ready with weapons in hand. It was even more astonishing to see this kid actually accept the challenge for a measly way of transportation. Even as tension filled the atmosphere, Aislynn and her main opponent seemed composed.

Redd jogged up the street to find Aislynn facing off with quite the number of opponents. "Seems like you started a fight—not like I'm surprised—and it looks pretty civil."

Once she heard his familiar voice, she turned her head to face him. "Hi Redd; you're late!"

He furrowed his brows and replied angrily, "Of course I'm late; you went and ditched me!"

"That's not a valid excuse! You got to keep up—" Before she could finish, a bullet went through her mouth. Many thought she would fall, including Redd, but seconds passed and she never fell. Instead, she jerked her head to the awkward man with a dark grin and a smoking pistol. Aislynn scowled and scolded him. "That was rude! Can't you see I'm talking?"

That man glowered at Aislynn and directed his gun to Redd now. "Seems like bullets won't work on that kid; use whatever method to bring him down—don't kill the kid!" He fired, but Redd and Aislynn evaded the attack.

Two men charged at Aislynn: one man in front and another behind, both wielding scimitars. First, Aislynn produced a small, spiked ball on a chain and swung it at the frontal man. After securing his blade, she gripped her end of the chain and pried the weapon out of his hands and held it in hers.

The latter slashed his sword down upon her head, but she blocked the incoming blow with her new-found weapon. Without time to let him recover, she slightly pushed him off and kicked him in his gut, sending him several yards away.

Soon, the other man reached her and threw a punch her way, but she ducked and swept his feet with a kick. She didn't have time to watch him fall and looked at the charging, clumsy men that came at her with various weapons.

Of the five men that came from every direction, the first thrust his spear to her stomach, but ultimately failed when she slid left and seized it. After prying it out of his hands, she jumped over the crowding group and waited until they formed a line. When they formed some sort of line, she skewered their legs and let them scream in anguish.

Meanwhile, Redd had defeated several opponents and was about to go after their leader, until he felt dizzy and had to use his scythe as support. His vision began to blur and he felt lightheaded; he was fatigued from not eating full proportions.

The leader took notice of this and took his opportunity to aim, but Aislynn happened to see it and went to him to deliver a swift and powerful elbow strike to his spine, letting a cracking noise echo into the night.

Once he fell to the ground, Aislynn bent down and cut his arm and let it bleed for a while, and then motioned the crimson liquid into the vial which she recently took out. Before rushing off to her companion, she stopped the bleeding and a scab formed over the injury.

She dashed to his side and handed him the vial and watched him drink it. They didn't have to worry about the enemies, since they have all fallen. By the time he finished, lifeless bodies littered the floor. As he was about to speak, Aislynn punched him on the stomach and let him clutch it. "What the hell was that for?" he questioned.

Her violet gaze burned with rage and frightened him a bit. "If you are my nakama, I expect you to take care of yourself; can't have my first one die on me because he didn't _eat_ enough!" After scolding him, she went off to dig into the pockets of the unconscious bodies. "Well, aren't you going to help?" she added before continuing.

He shook his head and began to do as he was told.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I realized some time ago, that the guy Aislynn's facing sounded like a pedophile in one part. Unintentional, but what's done is done, right?

I hope I can finish the later chapters before these run out. As always, R&R. :)


	7. Ch 5: Caged Birds

**Title**: Caged Birds

**Word Count**: 1712

***Summary (so far)**: The fight ended, and the two loot the unconscious (possibly dead) opponents. Now, what will they do with that money?

**Rating**: T

**Warnings (in this chapter)**: Language and violence.

**Disclaimer**: Sigh...I'm going to keep saying this...Eiichiro Oda owns One Piece...

**A/N**: I seriously need to hurry up and finish the later chapters... -_-' I also realized that combining some chapters would mean a lot of complications I would rather _not_ deal with, so please bear with me and my short chapters.

Kisdota-The Freak Gamer: I think I introduce their skills in the upcoming chapters (I gotta check in my spare time), and I will get back to you about your OCs soon (hopefully by the next update)...just not as soon. Mainly because this week will be pretty hectic for me. I actually looked at the earlier one long before, so, once again, I'll get back to you on that. Also, after a bit more, I'll start getting somewhere with the OCs. :) I l planned a lot of this story out, I just didn't get to write it down (yes, I'm horrible, I admit it).

Everyone else that sent OCs: I actually look at your OCs, and I do consider them. They also entertain me, because you guys have such the creative minds. :)

* * *

><p>Aislynn was certainly content about the result of this battle—mostly because she received quite the sum of berries—because now she has a means of transportation. Even though she was gleeful, a random thought came to her head.<p>

She jerked her head to Redd with serious eyes. "Redd," she began. "Did you kill them?"

Redd looked up at her and answered with a shrug. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't—do I look like a doctor?"

Out of vexation, she picked up a nearby rock and threw at him. Fortunately for her, she managed to hit his arm; unfortunately for him, he has a new bruise. She stood up and went over to Redd, leaning closer to him and staring intently into his eyes angrily. "I'm being absolutely serious; did you kill them?"

He furrowed his brows and pushed her away from him. Once she was an arm's length away, he began to speak. "Like I said, _I don't know_. How the hell am I supposed to know?" Another rock flew at him and hit his shoulder. "What the hell was that for?"

"For being a dumbass, that's why!" she spat. Aislynn shook her head and continued rummage through the coat. Without looking up, she added, "From now on, don't kill anyone."

Redd stood up and stretched his arms. When he looked back at her, he asked, "Why should I listen to you?"

Aislynn shot a glare at him, but ignored him for a while. After finishing her search, she gathered the various pouches and walked over to her companion. Once she was a foot away from him, she whacked him on the head. "That's a stupid question; I'm your captain!"

After receiving a lecture from Aislynn, the two went to bar and sat at the closest, available table. Those who were in there made space for them and watched in cautiously as to what they were going to do.

The red-haired young man sat and leaned forward, resting his arms on the tabletop with his hands clasped together. On the other hand, the shorter, masked person plopped down on the chair and tipped it back so the feet could rest on the table. What were these two going to do?

To break the silence, Aislynn spoke up. "Anyone know where that guy's boat is? He's unconscious, so I won't be able to ask where."

Nobody answered out of terror, but a small voice sounded. "Um, I know where it is…" it said timidly.

Redd's and Aislynn's eyes fell upon a small person, who must be six or seven. The child was trembling and dirty, with clothes quite too large for the skinny body to hold and no footwear on as well. This person's hair was long, chestnut brown, and unruly, bangs covering the eyes, and a collar was worn around the kid's thin neck. "I-I c-can sh-show y-you where i-it is…" the child's voice was barely audible, that both Aislynn and Redd had to strain their ears to hear—and the fact they both have awful hearing.

Aislynn set the chair back and propped her elbow on the table with her head resting in her palm. With her free hand, she gestured the child over, and the kid came to her timidly. "So, you can show us?"

The kid nodded.

This settled it and she stood up enthusiastically. She began to walk out the door and signaled Redd and the kid to follow. "Come on, let's go find us a ship!" she exclaimed with a grin on her face. The three left the bar with stunned and terrified men staring at them.

All of them could agree on that "supposed" little boy with the mask is definitely crazy.

**~X~**

The moon was gradually sinking into the horizon, showing that the night is going to end in some time.

The three were in no particular hurry, but they still ran; the kid in one of Redd's arms because they were rushing for some unknown reason. Upon arrival to the docks, the child pointed at the large ship that loomed over the others. It was grand, and it could probably hold an innumerous amount of people. Question was, why would that person have such a thing?

They stood by it and stared at the sight. After staring at it for a bit, Aislynn stretched and motioned the child over to her. She bent down to the kid's height and inquired for the kid's name. "My n-name is Odette…" the kid replied quietly.

Aislynn nodded and commented, "That's a nice name—so I was right, you are a girl."

Redd stared at Aislynn as if she was insane. "And you questioned yourself?" he remarked.

She looked up at him and replied, "You can never be too sure about things; you thought I was a boy." Odette giggled, earning a smile from Aislynn, even though it wasn't visible. "Now, for a way to get up there…"

A sigh escaped Redd's lips. "I guess I have no choice," he muttered. He began to shift his physique, becoming more animalistic: his nose upturned, brown fur covered his body, ears became pointed and larger, beady eyes, wings grew from his arms, and his teeth grew into fangs.

He earned himself a curious look from Aislynn, while frightening Odette. Odette quickly hid behind Aislynn and held onto the hem of her sash, peeking passed her a bit with wide eyes of fear. Aislynn glanced down at the girl and pitied her, as well as Redd; she sees why everyone's afraid of him—besides the fact he drinks blood.

A pang in his chest hurt him when he saw Odette hide from him, even though he didn't seem hurt at all on the exterior. However, the pang disappeared as soon as Aislynn took off her mask and grinned like an idiot. "You look _really_ ugly, I'd be scared to see you too!" she commented jokingly.

Redd glared at her and would have killed her right then and there, if it weren't for a few reasons: one of them being the fact she could go toe-to-toe with him, and possible defeat him—not like he wanted to admit the fact she could easily kill him if he had a cut—the other reason being that Aislynn didn't run away, proving that she wasn't afraid and didn't care much about his appearance and nature. "Yeah, yeah—now shut up and get your ass over here so we can get on that damned ship." he stated.

Aislynn chuckled and did as he told, with the little girl cautiously following her. The two girls jumped onto the large, human-bat hybrid and held on tight. As soon as they did so, Redd flew up onto the deck and landed lightly. He let the two passengers on his back get off before he changed back to his original form. When they got off, he glanced down at Odette. "Is there anyone guarding the ship?"

Odette peeped up at him shook her head.

_How can they still have their ship for all this time?_ he wondered. Then, he looked over at Aislynn with a brow raised. "So, what're we going to do?" he inquired from Aislynn.

She went over to the wheel and held a spoke. "We're going to go the next island; we need some more people before we set off the Grand Line!" she stated matter-of-factly.

Odette spoke up. "Um, there are other people on here. This is a slave ship, so…" she stuttered, but Aislynn got the essence of what she meant.

A hand plunged into the bag and brought out a ring with a variety of keys. She threw them to Odette, which she luckily caught. Then, Aislynn took out a map and a compass, which she happened to "receive" from her earlier opponents, and faced the sea. "Let's set sail, but can you begin setting some of the slaves free once we set out?"

The little girl nodded and Aislynn grinned.

**~X~**

Dawn broke out, tinting the ocean with blues, pinks, and oranges. Seagulls cried out, and the morning ocean scent filled the air. At some distance, an island could be seen, and Aislynn did her best not to fall asleep. She needed to have a nap after settling a few issues.

By the time all the prisoners were freed, the ship had reached the harbor and was docked. Everyone thanked Odette and Redd and went on their merry way into town with some berries for support, courtesy from Aislynn, whom the slaves never saw.

When all of the slaves left, Aislynn, Odette, and Redd remained. Aislynn and Odette boarded off and stood on the dock. Redd was sent to rummage through the ship to see if there was anything that could be sold, while Aislynn stood to keep watch; she didn't trust people ever since that last incident with her dingy.

Silence hung in the atmosphere, but was broken at last when Odette suddenly bowed deeply. "Arigato gozaimasu!" she stuttered. She shut her eyes closed and refused to look up.

Aislynn only grinned and ruffled her hair playfully. She simply replied, "It's what any sensible person would do." Then she added, "So what are you going to do now? You _are_ free." She looked over at the girl's neck and smiled, seeing that the collar no longer bounded her to slavery.

Odette looked up at Aislynn, with her bangs pushed to the side, which revealed bright green eyes. However, her eyes were tinged with apprehension. "W-well…" she began as she fiddled with her thumbs.

Aislynn laughed and ruffled her hair again. "I'll let you stick with me until you figure out, but remember, I'm a pirate!" This seemed to calm Odette down. Aislynn looked up at the ship and called out, "Oi Redd, you almost done there?"

As if on cue, Redd jumped down from the ship and landed on the dock gracefully. A multitude of bags hung over his shoulders and arms. "I'm ready," he answered, and then handed several bags to Aislynn and Odette. "Now, how about this ship?" he pointed back at the ship with his thumb.

His companion replied, "We're going to sell it, but we need to be quick; I don't want that same incident to happen twice."

He chuckled and the three began to walk. "You think it's okay to set all of them free?" he wandered.

Aislynn only shrugged. "It's what any sensible person would do. You got to set caged birds free from torture. Plus, people change."

"Wonder what'll happen to them," he commented.

"Who knows? It doesn't concern us, and we have to sell these things and get some intelligence."

Redd glanced at her curiously. "Intelligence?"

"I'm searching for this one guy, and I need to know if his location changed. Also, we're keeping anything valuable!"

* * *

><p>Omake (Extra) 1! _ (<em>Something I thought of when reading this over<em>)

REDD: Remember when you asked me if I killed those guys?

AISLYNN: Yeah. What about it?

REDD: Didn't you know how to check their pulse and shit like that?

AISLYNN: Yeah. Unlike you, who is sadly incapable of so many things that it makes me want to cry, I know something so elementary.

REDD: You make me want to kill you.

AISLYNN: Without me, you'd be starving and died out in the ocean.

REDD: (_Eye twitch_) You know, fuck it.

AISLYNN: I prefer not to.

REDD: You little smartass...forget it. Anyways, why didn't you check?

AISLYNN: (_Sighs_) It was too troublesome to go to _every_ person and check their pulse.

REDD: ...Yet you didn't have a problem with pickpocketing every person?

AISLYNN: Yeah. And?

REDD: ...I question your morality and sanity-at the moment, mainly your morality-sometimes.

AISLYNN: I could say the same for you.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** As always, R&R.


	8. Ch 5 and a Half: Letters to NeeChan

**Title**: Letters to Nee-chan

**Word Count**: 603

***Recap**: Aislynn and Redd finished off some slave traders and stole their boat—as well sold it as they took up Odette to continue their journey in search for more crew members, and thus One Piece.

**Rating**: T

**Genre**: Action, Adventure & Humor

**Warnings (in this chapter)**: Language and violence.

**Disclaimer**: As always, I don't own One Piece…and you know the rest. -_-

**A/N**: OH MY GOD! I'M SUCH A HORRIBLE PERSON, I KNOW. SHOOT ME NOW. *shot* ANYWAYS, I was gone for, what now, 4-5 months. YEAH, long hiatus. Sorry about that—once again, SHOOT ME NOW. *shot again* I realized I picked a bad time to restart this fanficiton—a time when my teachers decided to make my life hell—oh, and it was track season. Yeah, my teachers + their work + AP + track = no fanfiction for a while. AND THEN, THERE WAS EXAMS. I praise—like, I would bow down and kiss the ground that they walk on—ANYONE who can update their stories during the end of the school year. I FUCKING WORSHIP YOU. So, if you must, go ahead and shoot me *shot for the third time* BUT I shall update—hopefully—more frequently. Okay, so I probably shouldn't put your hopes up that high. Yeah, let's hope my life doesn't go bipolar and decide to deter me from this little story—but remember, I have not forgotten you all! :D

* * *

><p><em>Dear Onee-chan,<em>

_To start off, this is my fifth time __re__writing this letter. I honestly couldn't match any words and everything felt choppy every time I wrote; nothing flowed and I couldn't express everything that happened within the time I last wrote to you!_

_I hope you are doing well, and that nobody in your crew is giving you a hard time; especially that one guy you keep complaining about. However, knowing you, you'd probably make whoever is making you angry, suffer—but you're still nice (I think you're being too indulgent with those crewmates of yours). Are you having fun, and what are you doing? Well, whatever it is, I'm sure you're making the best of it—you are my onee-chan, and you can always make something out of a situation!_

_If you are wondering about me, I'm doing fine. Soon, I going get myself a large crew and find One Piece. Actually, I've started on making my crew—I got my first crew member! He's kind of stupid, but he's a good guy. His name is Redd, and he's fun to be around! Even though he's mean sometimes, he can be very nice…except when it comes to blood—so selfish and scary. Still, he doesn't scare me!_

_Also, I helped out a lot of people, and they are a bunch of nice people! Even so, you're right; there are other mean and stupid people out there. Like this one guy who decided to trash a bar because he was drunk and frustrated because of this one lady-person! Then, there's this other time when someone decided to steal my boat! After that, I happened to meet this slave trader—but the slaves are freed now…hopefully they won't get caught again and they're going to live happily. I also hope I did the right thing, and nothing bad will happen because of my action. Then again, we never know until something happens (unless you're some sort of psychic)._

_Oh and, there is this little girl, named Odette, that's going to stick with Redd and I until we find a suitable place her to be. She's really timid, but I think we can change that. And nee-chan, don't you think her name is nice? I think it is, she looks like an "Odette" to me!_

_Ah, I wrote too much I think, so I'll stop now. Hope to see you soon!_

_Sincerely, _

_Your imouto, Aislynn_

_P.S: This better get to you, or I'll be one very pissed off girl. By the way, you should _at least_ give me the gist of your travel route so I know where to send the damned letters._

After finishing the letter, she folded the paper into thirds and stuffed it in the crisp and clean envelope. After, she turned it over and addressed it from herself to her sister.

"Aislynn, are you ready yet?" Redd called from the door. A few bags were packed, one for each person, with his being the biggest.

Aislynn glanced behind her to see him waiting impatiently at the door with Odette standing beside him quizzical eyes. Then, Aislynn placed the envelope in her satchel and went out the door with the bag swaying beside her. Once she was a foot away from her two companions, they all headed out the inn. A tender smile was left on Aislynn's face, and a thought stayed in her head: _I miss you onee-chan._

Redd noticed her smile, and was about to ask what she was smiling about, but decided against it. It's not every day he could witness such a smile from this mysterious girl.


	9. Ch 6: Lost Things

**Title**: Lost Things

**Word Count**: 1679

***Recap**: Aislynn and Redd finished off some slave traders and stole their boat—as well sold it as they took up Odette to continue their journey in search for more crew members, and thus One Piece.

**Rating**: T

**Genre**: Action, Adventure & Humor

**Warnings (in this chapter)**: Language and violence.

**Disclaimer**: blah

**A/N**: Refer to chapter 5.5's A/N (so click that "previous chapter button-or whatever-the-hell-it's-called". Do it, NOW) for my little rant and why you should shoot me. :D

* * *

><p>Tension hung in the air of the two people that stood in the street. The silence was deafening, but both refused to make a sound; none would surrender and admit defeat. Without a single peep or a glance to each other, they split up: one scaled the building to the left, while the other dashed through the streets, lifting every possible hideout.<p>

Aislynn scanned the small town, jumping onto roofs and perusing each street and building to the best of her ability. On the other hand, Redd sped through the town, checking each box and barrel. He did not excuse the tiniest hole either, making sure he did not miss a thing. However, their search was to no avail, for signs of their target did not show.

Worry shown on Aislynn's face, her face now visible without the mask on. She lingered on top of the building until she finally gave up. Then, Aislynn jumped down from the roof of the building and landed safely on the dirt road. "I didn't see her from up there," she stated calmly, a tone unfitting for the mood, as she jogged to Redd.

There was no response for some time, Redd apparently occupied with his search. When he set the barrels back on the ground by a stall, he stood straight and looked to Aislynn. "I couldn't find that kid either," he stated nonchalantly. He sighed and continued, "How'd you lose her?"

Aislynn smiled, contradicting that dark aura that suddenly appeared. "Excuse me, but I lost her?" she questioned as innocently as possible. " I don't recall being by Odette last—wasn't it you?"

His lips curled up into a smile that contradicted his feelings as well. "How can I keep track of something so small? I can barely see you."

Aislynn scoffed and replied, "You probably scared the poor child off."

Redd chuckled and shook his head. "And you need to grow."

The tension grew as the two continued bickering; both were ready to beat each other senselessly. "On the contrary, you need to shrink," Aislynn retorted.

With that, the two continued their search with nonstop arguing.

**~X~**

It was true that Odette was separated from Aislynn and Redd, but _they_ did not lose _her_—it's more accurate to say that _she_ lost _them_.

The three arrived at a little island called _Kokoroshima_, a small island in the South Blue that is shaped like a heart (hence the name _Kokoroshima_) with beautiful, tropical flowers adorning it. Not many know of the island, even so, there are people living there in peace.

After they tied their boat to the dock, they headed into the small town. At the time, it was bright with clear blue skies, but the empty street contrasted the weather; it should be bustling and lively, but it was empty and gloomy. Many shops and stalls were closed, but the few that were open had sleeping employees. "Maybe it's a slow day," Aislynn commented.

"Maybe they're always like this," Redd added. However, it didn't matter to them whether the shops or stalls were open; all they wanted to find a certain person.

_Redd sat in the boat, looking up at the blue sky with a bored expression; Aislynn sat across of him reading the newspaper with Odette sleeping in Aislynn's lap. He glanced behind him, trying to see abnormal forms on the horizon. When he couldn't find anything, he sighed and thought, _When are we getting there?

"_If you're so bored, read something or be useful. If not, just go to sleep." Aislynn stated without looking up from the papers in her hands._

_He glared at Aislynn and scoffed. "I'm too bored to fall asleep, and do you want me to drown?"_

"_I never said you had to swim—not like you can."_

"_You're one to talk. Also, I meant that I'm not flying out at sea with the fear that I might fall into the ocean."_

"_I never said that either."_

"_You hinted at it." Aislynn didn't respond, making Redd feel triumphant, until he noticed she stopped paying attention to their conversation and was focused on the newspaper before her. "So _Captain_, where the hell we headed to?" The word "captain"_ _still felt strange to Redd's tongue. After all, he never worked with others too much._

_Aislynn gazed up at Redd and set the newspaper under her bag. "We're going to _Kokoroshima_," she simply answered._

"_Why?" Redd asked instinctively. _Not like I care anyways,_ he thought._

"_We're going to get our third nakama."_

"_How about Odette?" Redd questioned curiously._

"_She's too young to stay with us."_

"_Then…"_

_Before he could finish, let alone start, she said, "It's what any sensible person would do." Aislynn took her newspaper and began to read it again._

_Redd smirked and asked, "How old are you?"_

"_17."_

_Redd nodded and laid against the boat. Then, he quickly sat up and gawked. "You're 17!"_

_Aislynn nodded and silence settled in. It took some time before Redd composed himself after the surprise. "Well, who are we looking for at that whatever-the-island-is-called?" he asked with the returned composure._

_No answer was given except a bounty poster of a hooded figure that held a bloodstained sword. A bounty of 21,000,000 berries and the name "Crimson Sword" was printed below the horribly taken picture. _This is going to be one hell of a crew,_ he thought jokingly._

After a bit of discussing, they decided to find the bar in this town. After all, it's the best place to get information about both the underworld and surface world societies. So, they all stayed together and went to look for the bar. _It shouldn't be too hard to find_, they all thought. _It's a small place_.

As they went around, Aislynn and Redd unknowingly distanced themselves from Odette. Soon, they were in a different area and lost themselves in the small town. On the other hand, Odette successfully found the bar.

Filled with glee, she turned around to grin at her companions, but to her dismay, they weren't there. Anxiety replaced her feeling of glee and the brown-haired girl began to panic. The shadows that the sun played with seemed more animated and the buildings looked as if they grew larger. Every sound, from the gentle breeze to the tiniest creek, frightened Odette. The little girl became suspicious of everything, even the little rocks and pebbles of the dirt road. However, she shook her head and walked off, all the while gripping the knife Aislynn gave to her for protection. _It should be quick_, she thought reassuringly. _It's not like we'll miss each other._

Time passed, but not enough for the sun to begin to set. During that time, her hunt didn't have any results. It was odd how they could not find each other, even when the three were next to each other. However, they looked in opposite directions.

_Growl…_ Odette held her stomach. _Not now, I'm busy_. she thought as she continued her search. Being preoccupied, she ignored her hungry stomach for the first few times. However, it called louder and practically begged her to be fed, soon it was at the point where it was a hindrance. In order to satisfy the furious growls, she went to the nearest shop or stall that sold food.

Some distance from her was a stall with many tropical fruits decorating the small stall. In the stall was a sleeping person on a reclined chair and a newspaper covering the person's face. Odette smiled and dug into her pockets for the money that Aislynn gave her for emergencies—and right now, it was emergency. Unfortunately, she tripped on a rock, sending the coins rolling down a storm drain nearby.

Slowly, Odette got up and willed herself to not cry, but her attempt failed. She looked down at herself, and saw that her elbows and knees were scrapped, as well as dirty just like the rest of her body. She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand, wiping away tears. When she pulled her hand away from her face, she noticed her hand was dirty—her face is dirty aw well. Soon, a few trickling tears became gushing rivers that fell down her face and her nose became runny.

Some distance from her was a young man of 17 years. He sat on the dirt road against an old building's wall; one leg stretched out while the other pulled to his chest. In his lap were two, sheathed swords and his hood was up to hide some of his feature; his maroon bangs also hiding his eyes. At first he was sleeping soundly, until Odette's cry woke him from his nap. Groggily, he stood up and walked to the little girl.

He stood behind her and laid a hand on her shoulder, which startled her. Quickly, Odette turned around and retrieved the knife that dangled in its sheathe from her waist. She pointed the blade toward the stranger, but he stood there unaffected. "I'm not going to hurt you kid," he stated gently.

Odette eyed him, staring into his golden eyes, which were visible from her position. She saw a genuine softness in his eyes and she loosened the grip on the weapon. However she never lowered the blade and stood there in contemplation. By now, her tears stopped but she still sniffled a bit. She noticed how the stranger didn't give her bad feelings, and how he emitted a warm aura. Then, her stomach growled, against her wishes.

The young man noticed it and walked pass her, heading to the east end of town. "If you're hungry, might as well follow me." He pointed to the sleeping man at the stall with his thumb. "That guy won't wake up, so it's impossible to buy from him even if you did have money."

She lowered her blade and put it away, wondering whether she should follow him. When he was far enough, she ran after him, seeing how he isn't dangerous. After all, little kids are good judges of character.


	10. Ch 7: Brats Don't Belong at Sea

**Title**: Brats Don't Belong at Sea

**Word Count**: 2540

***Recap**: Aislynn and Redd lost Odette in a town at Kokoroshima while they were gathering information regarding of their new crew member. While Aislynn and Redd search for Odette, Odette runs into a stranger who ends up helping her.

**Rating**: T

**Genre**: Action, Adventure & Humor

**Warnings (in this chapter)**: Language and violence.

**Disclaimer**: You know the drill. -_-

**A/N**: You know what sucks? Homework over summer break. Why would I decide to take 5 AP classes? Am I right in the head? You know what also sucks? While I fixing this little bit up, my internet died, so when I _tried_ to save it, it didn't save because the _damn internet connection died!_ And let's not forget about references (you'll understand off you go down to the side notes section) Sigh...that's life for ya.

* * *

><p>They followed a narrow dirt road to a hill, but it abruptly ended. However, they continued walking; they walked up the hill and a beautiful sight lay in front of them.<p>

Many flowers blossomed around a cottage that sat near a cliff. The distant sounds of waves crashing merged with the sound of chirping birds and the rustling leaves in the breeze; they created a song. The smell of plumerias and the ocean mixed, and the clear midday sky contrasted with the colorful flowers. This place felt peaceful and cheery.

As the two went in the cottage through the tiny door, a small living space laid in front of them. There were two windows: one window at the left of the door and another to the right wall. A closet and a square table, that could seat four people, stood in the far left corner, a kitchen space was at the entrance's immediate left, and two beds were situated at the farthest right corner. On their right are several shelves that held jars of spices with a fridge right next to it.

A woman of her mid-twenties stood by the kitchen counter with a welcoming smile. She had orange hair up in a bun and clear, blue eyes; her bright shirt and jean shorts hugging her body. In her hand was a spatula, and she raised it up to wave at the entering people. "Welcome back Tatsuyoshi!" she greeted merrily.

The young man nodded and returned her greeting politely, however apathetically. "Kon'ichwa Satomi onee-san," he bowed and headed to her, while pointing at the table and looking at his little companion. He pulled down his hood to reveal his pale face and maroon hair. The back of his hair were spiked up in different directions, imitating the rays of the sun, a rat's tail went down to his mid-back, and bangs covered his right eye mostly. Tatsuyoshi moved his bangs away from his golden eyes and he rolled up his sleeves. "Do you need any help onee-san?"

Satomi shook her head and pushed him to the table. "No, no; this time your useless nee-chan will cook!"

When he sat down, he gazed at her knowingly. "Onee-san, you're not useless." he stated.

His older sister smiled tenderly and then noticed the small child. She clapped her hands and held it by her cheek. "Who's this?" she inquired curiously.

The little girl was startled at the sudden outburst, and backed up a bit on the chair, staring at her with apprehension.

Tatsuyoshi sighed and placed a hand on Satomi's shoulder. "You're scaring her," he stated matter-of-factly.

Satomi pouted and stuck her tongue out at her younger brother.

Ignoring his sister's childishness, he spoke to the little girl. "Onee-san is silly, isn't she." he stated more than asked.

"I am not silly!"

The little girl relaxed a bit a leaned closer to him. She giggled quietly, earning a smile from the two older people. Now, she felt comfortable and Tatsuyoshi asked for her name. The little girl pondered for a while, and decided the people before her were good people. After all, they made her laugh and sent good vibes; you could always trust a child's judgment on people…well, most of the time. The girl replied with a grin. "My name is Odette!"

The three smiled and then Satomi announced with another clap, "Well, I'm sure you are hungry, so I'm going to make some lunch!" When Satomi's blue eyes gazed at Odette again, she noticed her dirty clothes, face, and hair. "Odette, what happened to you?" She shook her head and gestured the little girl to follow her out the door. "Wait, wait—never mind that, let's clean you up right now! Tatsuyoshi, can you make lunch please?"

The golden-eyed boy nodded and went over to the kitchen area after taking off his black jacket. Then, the two females went out the door.

At the back of the cottage was a small bathing house. Near the small bathing house was a roofed area for drying and washing clothes, with screens closing off the area so the laundry will not fly away in the wind.

The females headed to the bathing house and once inside, Satomi washed the little girl clean. After accomplishing the task, she went to the laundry area and took the bag in a corner. In the bag was a tiny dress and necessary clothing for Odette. Once retrieving them, she returned to Odette, who was drying herself. Once Odette was sufficiently dry, Satomi dressed the child in a yellow, knee-length dress with the other necessary clothing.

Odette looked up at the older female and asked, "Do you have shorts onee-san?"

Satomi looked at the little girl with confusion, and stood up straight. "Ne, you don't like the dress?"

The little girl shook her head violently and bowed. "Gomennasai, I don't mean any disrespect!"

Satomi chuckled and gently patted Odette's head. "No, no, it's okay. You don't have to apologize, it's just that I think…" Satomi embraced the little girl and kept her in a tight grip. "…you're so cute! You should wear more girly clothing like it!"

Odette struggled to get out of the grip. "O-onee-s-san…"

Realization hit Satomi and she released the little girl. "Gomen, I just love cute things. Plus, I've always wanted a kid." The older female smiled sheepishly and went to the door. "I'm sure Tatsuyoshi is done with the cooking, so we should hurry and eat before it gets cold!"

Odette nodded and they left bathing house and went around to get to the entrance, finding that Tatsuyoshi and two others were engaged in a battle; the other two familiar people. "Oi, have you seen a little girl around?" the tall young man asked.

Tatsuyoshi was sweeping the small porch and eyed him suspiciously. "Why should I answer you?" He continued his sweeping.

A small girl next to him punched the tall redhead and bowed, the redhead following the gesture reluctantly. "Please excuse my companion's rudeness, but our little friend seems to be lost. We were wondering if you saw, since a person we passed by earlier said that he saw the person we're looking for, here." she explained politely.

Tatsuyoshi wasn't satisfied and didn't trust them. "A friend you say?"

"Hai, a friend."

Tatsuyoshi placed the broom gently against the wall and picked up the sheathed swords. "What if I don't believe or trust you?" He rounded the porch rail and stood some distance from the two people; his hand rested on the hilt of one of the swords.

The small girl could tell he meant business, so she watched him carefully. "That'd be bad for us." The young man next to the black-haired girl took notice of her actions and eyed Tatsuyoshi carefully.

"Very much so_." _Without another second to think, Tatsuyoshi rushed towards Aislynn and drew his sword in a flash. However, before he could slice at her, the taller companion blocked the hit with his double-ended scythe (1).

The young man commented, "Interesting sword; I've never seen a _kalis _(2)before—except in pictures."

Tatsuyoshi didn't respond and jumped back. He dashed at the young man, but slid underneath him through the opening between his legs. Before the young man had time to react, Tatsuyoshi thrust his semi-wavy sword into his opponent's shoulder, and then he quickly pulled it back out.

"Crap! It's a sea stone sword!" His opponent remarked before clutching his bleeding shoulder.

The girl now became more aware and made sure not to get hit by the sword. Her face lost emotion; she's now concentrating.

Tatsuyoshi held his sword at his chest and thrust the blade at his new opponent, who was quick to dodge it with a backwards flip. While in the air, she swung a chain at Tatsuyoshi's sword hand and gripped it tight once she landed. Then, she rushed at him with a _kama_ (3) that was on the other end of the chain.

His eyes grew wide and tried to swing the girl with the chain, but she had a surprisingly strong grip. Once she was close, he kicked her, but to his surprise, it went through her body and his leg was covered in a crimson liquid. _What the hell-_ before his thought was finished, he backed up and only a scratch was made on his right arm. Then, he felt the chain loosen on his left arm after she backed up from his leg, and he cut the girl's arm; a shallow gash was left.

The girl instinctively clutched her right arm, and stayed some distance from him. He thought he won from the looks of things, but she was suddenly creating hand gestures, and he noticed the blood from the cut flowing out and floating in the air. Soon, it wrapped his legs in a chain, immobilizing him.

"Aislynn nee-san, Redd nii-san!" Odette shouted with surprise.

The black-haired girl and her companion glanced at Odette and Satomi. A grin appeared on their faces and they began chuckling. "Odette-chan!" Aislynn called. The effects of the sea stone seemed to have worn off of Asiylnn, and the wound scabbed over. Before she went to Odette, she made sure to stop Redd's injury from bleeding more. Then, both Redd and Aislynn went over to Odette, Aislynn letting the little girl embrace her.

Tatsuyoshi watched in confusion at the scene. Satomi noticed him, and walked to him to put a tender hand on his shoulder; he was still immobilized.

~X~

The five people entered the cottage and sat at the table, except for Tatsuyoshi who was leaning against the wall behind Satomi. He had his jacket back on, his eyes watching the floor.

"Aislynn nee-san, Redd nii-san, this is Satomi nee-san and Tatsuyoshi nii-san; Satomi nee-san, Tatsuyoshi nii-san, this is Aislynn nee-san and Redd nii-san." Odette introduced happily.

Aislynn and Satomi smiled and nodded, while Redd only nodded. "Arigato gozaimasu_,_" Aislynn thanked politely. "I'm glad she was in capable hands. I actually can't believe we lost her though…"

"I lost you guys!" Odette interrupted.

Aislynn nodded and chuckled. "My, my, gomen Odette-chan!" the two exchanged grins.

Satomi smiled tenderly and asked, "So Aislynn-san, what brings you and Redd-san to our dear island."

Aislynn gazed at Satomi and grinned widely. "I'm looking for my third crew member!"

"Oh, so you're a pirate?" Satomi asked playfully.

"Hai! I'm going to the go around the world, search for One Piece, and be the Pirate Queen!" Aislynn explained further.

Satomi giggled, amused by the girl's dream. Tatsuyoshi on the other hand, seemed irritated. He scoffed and remarked, "What a stupid dream."

"Now, you don't have to go there." Redd stated with a chuckled.

"Che. Stupid people like you will drown in the sea—aren't you Devil Fruit users?"

Redd was about to get up, obviously annoyed by him. However Aislynn spoke up. "Hai, we are Devil Fruit users: I ate the _Shinku Shinku no mi_(4)…" she started.

"…and I ate the _Basa Basa no mi_: Model, Vampire Bat (5)." Redd finished.

"That's quite the pair; your Devil Fruit abilities compliment each other!" Satomi commented. Aislynn and Redd smiled at the known irony. She continued, "Ah, how did you know Odette would be here?"

_Aislynn and Redd ran down a street, and saw a person walking by humming a merry tune. Aislynn went up to the person and smiled innocently with her hands behind back, hiding the weapon. "Excuse me sir, but have you seen a little girl?"_

_The person looked curiously at Aislynn and laughed. "Shouldn't a little girl like you be worried about yourself? Even though this place is pretty peaceful, I think you should go home little kid." _

_As the man was about to continue, Aislynn quickly grabbed him, and held a small dagger at his throat. "I'm very irritable right now, so please answer my question."_

"_I'd tell her what she wants," Redd chimed in with a snicker. "She won't hesitate!"_

_The man began to panic and started flailing his arms. "I-I-I s-saw a little girl with brown hair with Tatsuyoshi-kun! They probably headed to his house at the east end of town!"_

_Satisfied, Aislynn dropped her hand and smiled. "Arigato gozaimasu!" she said politely. She turned on her heel and motioned Redd to follow. Before leaving, she looked back at the man and added, "Also, don't _ever_ mention this to anyone, or else. Okay?" The man nodded violently and Aislynn smiled. "Good."_

The black-haired girl continued smiling. "Someone we passed by saw Tatsuyoshi and Odette going this way."

Satomi nodded in acknowledgement. Then, Aislynn suddenly asked, "Ne, Tatsuyoshi-san, want join my crew?" Tatsuyoshi glanced at Aislynn, but did not reply. "Hm? Do you want to join?"

Tatsuyoshi sighed in discontent and replied coldly, "Why should I join your crew? Brats don't belong at sea." Satomi shot a glare at her little brother, but he ignored it and went out. "If you need me, I'll be outside."

A moment of silence settled in, but Satomi was quick to break it, before it became too uncomfortable. "I apologize for my brother's rudeness," Satomi said with a tinge of sadness.

Aislynn noticed Satomi's tone and replied with her usual grin, "It's okay! Although I don't know what it's like to live with brothers—since I lived with girls for the most part—I understand, sort of." She smiled sheepishly, earning a giggle from Satomi.

"Oh my!" she commented. "Anyways, you want my brother to join your crew, correct?" Aislynn's ears perked up and she nodded slowly. "Well, how about you prove to him that it's worth it? All you have to do is pass this test, and I'm sure he'll go along with you guys!"

"How sure are you?" Aislynn questioned with apparent suspicion.

"I'm very sure!"

* * *

><p>Omake! (Number Two .)<p>

REDD: (_Running with Aislynn to the east end of town) _By the way, where'd you get that dagger from, 'cause I don't remember that when we first met.

AISLYNN: (_Snickering)_ You actually _remembered_ the first time we met and what I had and didn't have? How creepy.

REDD: (_Scowling_) Shut up brat and answer the damn question!

AISLYNN: I hope you realized you contradicted yourself, thus I can make no answer to your question.

REDD: You smartass, little bit—

AISLYNN: Now, now, calm down and don't get your panties in a bunch.

(_Silence_)

REDD: Have I ever told you that I wanted to kill you?

AISLYNN: (_Sarcastic)_ Really? Well, I love you too.

REDD: Just answer the fucking question!

AISLYNN: Geez I will, be patient! Have you ever heard of "patience is a virtue"?

REDD: (_Veins are popping. Gritting teeth_) Well?

AISLYNN: Well, if you _must_ find it _so_ important as to know where a _measly_ dagger came from…I received from a very generous person. He apparently didn't have any use of it, since he couldn't handle it; he wasn't very _handy_. (6)

REDD: …Did you get into another fight?

AISLYNN: (_Sarcastic_) How could you say such a thing? I'm very hurt.

REDD: …

AISLYNN: Okay, I got into a _little_ fight—but it was for a good cause!

REDD: What could honestly be considered a "good cause"?

AISLYNN: He spilled my coffee.

(_Silence_)

REDD: (_Mutters_) Dumbass…

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><p>Also, some side notes…<p>

(1) Should it be double-edged or double-ended? I don't know how to word his weapon, but you get the idea, right? _

(2) Kalis: a part wavy part straight sword. Go look it up on wikipedia, because this damn thing is pissing me off, not letting put up a fucking simple address for reference use. ! #$^&* #¨¥©øÎÁÔ˝!%#ÒˆÎÁ‰ !^#Î∏·ÏˆÁÒ! (replace symbols with colorful profanity).

(3)

-_Kama_ = sickle (look it up on wikipedia if you must)

-_Kusarigama_ = sickle + ball + chain (same as above)

(4) _Shinku Shinku no mi_ = Scarlet Scarlet Fruit. I could've called it _Aka aka no mi _(Red Red Fruit), but I like _shinku_ better.

(5) _Basa Basa no mi_ = Flap Flap Fruit: Model Vampire Bat, which explains his transformation into a bat and bloodlust. _Basa basa_ is the Japanese onomatopoeia for flap.

(6) If you understand, congrats. So yeah, she cuts his hands off...over coffee. Yes, her sanity is questionable.

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><p><strong>AN**: Like always, reviews/feedbacks are always welcomed with open arms! :D (If you spot errors of any kind in any chapter, let me know please!)


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